


Goodbye

by reneewvlkers



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Bittersweet, M/M, i promise there's sweet too alright, long distance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 07:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7966960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reneewvlkers/pseuds/reneewvlkers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andrew boils coffee for both of them without asking and Neil sits on the couch with his leg pressed against Andrew’s and doesn’t think about the last time. He doesn’t think about memories or the future or anything but now, and this coffee, and Andrew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> another thing cross-posted from [my tumblr](http://reneewvlkers.tumblr.com/post/148169173080/the-morning-doesnt-feel-any-different-and-neil) mostly because there aren't enough fics on ao3 for aftg and i don't think i'm doing enough to help

The morning doesn’t feel any different, and Neil almost feels betrayed by it. The room still fills with stray beams of light despite the closed curtains, and there’s still snoring below him, and the room still smells faintly of feet. Neil still wakes up with the peace he’s become accustomed to, before he remembers and he feels heavier. **  
**

Andrew slides past him, hands blazing a light path on Neil’s bare back when they pass on the way to a shower. Neither of them talk about where they’re going. They don’t need to.

Andrew boils coffee for both of them without asking and Neil sits on the couch with his leg pressed against Andrew’s and doesn’t think about _the last time_. He doesn’t think about memories or the future or anything but now, and this coffee, and Andrew. He doesn’t even spare a thought for annoying roommates.

When the caffeine hits his system, he has things to talk about. He’s better at that now. The bets the Foxes currently have, Andrew’s classes (because even Andrew can find humour in his Criminal Justice course, now), a book Renee lent him.

Conversation doesn’t pause, even as they grab jackets and Andrew’s bag and keys, or as they get into the car or while they drive. It stutters when Andrew presses his keys almost gently into Neil’s hand, and Neil considers keeping hold of Andrew’s hand. But he doesn’t. “It gets better after the first half. That’s when things actually happen.”

Andrew makes a disgusted noise. “Why would I read the first half, then?” Then he turns towards the airport building, and Neil follows, because he always does.

The airline doesn’t let people without boarding passes go to check in, but Neil waits. He watches Andrew shake his head, _no, I have no bag to check,_ and receive a boarding pass in exchange for showing his passport. Then Andrew comes back to him, and leads the way to security.

Neil can’t be sure, but Andrew might have calculated exactly how much time he’d need at the airport. He wouldn’t put it past Andrew.

Neil fights the urge to check Andrew’s carry on. Even after a whole life out of one bag, Neil always struggled fitting everything in 100ml bottles. He knows Andrew wouldn’t be the same - he’d prefer to buy new toiletries and leave them behind than struggle - but the irrational urge sticks.

Andrew turns to Neil just before he should go through. The only time they’ve needed a goodbye like this before was - it was before. It was different. They’d had to settle things between them, and there were unspoken things between them that they hadn’t had time to sort through yet. They don’t have that now.

A thought comes to Neil, riding on a wave of panic, that Andrew doesn’t really have a reason to come back to him. He has his apartment in another city, and a team that Neil isn’t on, and there aren’t any deals, any promises to bring Andrew back.

But Neil has his car and he’s not bringing it to Seattle until a couple of weeks have passed. Neil’s not sure if it’s convenience on Andrew’s part, or a promise that he’s not done with Neil yet, or even a way to stop Andrew just… leaving. Coming back.

Neil breathes, and it’s normal. It’s almost calm.

Andrew watched all this pass on Neil’s face, he knows. And he looks like he’s searching for words. A reason to say them. Because they don’t need goodbye, but see you soon isn’t right, either.

“Thank you,” Andrew says, and then he seems to remember. _You were amazing._ “For looking after the car.” He gestures at the keys in Neil’s hand.

“Yes, because it’s such a hardship to look after a Maserati.” Neil’s voice is bland, carefully empty.

Andrew nods.

Neil clears his throat. “I’ll call you.”

“Okay.” And maybe that’s the closest they’ll come to casual affection; they may not be able to say _this is something_ or _I’ll miss you_ or even _goodbye_ , but there’s the acceptance that there won’t be nothing.

Andrew leaves.

But he’ll be back.


End file.
